Travel advice & practical information for travelogue:

'Gold Buddhas and tough guards in North-Thailand'

Useful addresses

Royal Thai Consulate-General
351 East 52nd Street
New York, NY 10022
Tel: (212) 754-1770, (212) 754-1896
Fax: (212) 754-1907
thaiconsulnewyork.com

Thailand Embassy
29–30 Queen’s Gate
London SW7 5JB
Telephone: (020) 7589 2944
Fax: (020) 7823 9695
Consular Section: (020) 7589 2944/ ext. 117
Office Hours: Monday–Friday 09.30–12.00
www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk

Ambassade de Thailande
8 Rue Greuze 75116
Tel.: +33 (0)1 47 04 32 22
This embassy does not have a web site
But it has a
Bureau de Tourisme
90 Avenue Champs Elysées 75008 Tel.: +33 (0)1 45 62 86 56

Population

Thailand is also known as "the country of the smile" and during our trip we have often met smiling and friendly people. The smile is often put on if a Thai is uncertain what to answer or doesn't know the answer to a question. If you ask for directions and the person you're talking to doesn't have the faintest idea what you're talking about, they'll smile a friendly smile.

Buddhism is important to the majority of the population. You can show respect for the Buddha by offering a sacrifice: burn incense of candle, or offer a lotus flower. This you see especially in front of temples and spirit houses.

Everyone is allowed to visit a temple (Wat), but you have to take off your shoes, refrain from stepping over praying people, and pointing your feet in thje direction of the Buddha or a Thai. This is considered extremely insulting. You also shouldn't stroke children's heads.

Almost every male Thai has been a monk for at least three months, usually out of respect for their parents' wishes. Monks wear orange garbs and women are not allowed to touch them and neither are they allowed to touch a woman. Around 5 AM they make their rounds begging and are fed by the population, who are doing good deeds this way and get closer to Nirvana (Enlightenment).

The Thai respect their King Bhumipol and Queen Sirikit. This was proven during our stay by the decorations and portraits in honor of Queen Sirikit's birthday on August 12. You should never make a joke about the royal family.

Thai are superstitious. In front of every building sits a least one spirit house. These are small colorful houses in the shape of a temple in which the nine spirits live. By making sacrifices to the spirits, by burning incense, leaving fresh lotus flowers or lighting a candle, you keep the spirits in a good mood. And as long as they are happy with you, they'll repell evil spirits.

A Thai greets you with "Wai." You bring the palms of your hands together, move them towards your face and bow. The deeper the bow,the greater the respect the Thai is paying you.

Climate and best time to travel

Our trip took place during the rain season, which is between June and November, but we had only two monsoon days. A monsoon is characterized by torrential rains. As it is still hot, you'll sweat a lot. Drink at least 2 liters of water and wear light clothes.

Food and drinks

Thai food is delicious and spicy. You usually get rice or noodles with fresh vegetables and a meat dish. If you don't like spice, say "Mai Pet."

You can order fresh fruit like pineapple or papaya with your meal. They are served in nice creative forms and also very helpful with the too spicy...

Food in Thailand is good and fresh, but do not eat raw salads or unpealed fruit. If your stomach or intestines play up, it's usually you drank ice-cold drinks, or because you're exhausted or because of the heat. And, maybe redundantly, do not eat at street stalls.

If your stomach bothers you despite your precautions: drink tepid cola that has lost its carbonate or ricewater. Eating bananas also helps.

Money

The Thai currency is Bath.

In many cities there are ATM's all over the place. Traveller checks are insured against loss or theft and can be exchanged at hotels and banks.

If you know which places you are going to visit, you can find out online if and where there are ATM's that you can use with MasterCard and Cirrus or Visa

Health

Always check the web site of your own country's Foreign Ministry for current information about health risks.

Safety and Security

Check your country's Foreign Ministry's web site for information about security and general travel advice.

Electricity

In the Northern part of the country there are power outages every now and then, so bring a battery powered electric torch.

Souvenirs

Thailand has it all: fake brand merchandise like "Rolex" watches and "Lacoste" T-shirts, but also hand-made parasols and wood sculptures. Bargaining is a must. Don't feel guilty if the seller tells you that you're bankrupting them.

Transportation

Traffic in the big cities, especially Bangkok, is chaotic and rough; Thai don't take the traffic rules very seriously. Tuk Tuks, cars and mopeds dominate the streets and if you, as a pedestrian want to cross the street, don't expect them to stop for you. The air in Bangkok is very polluted and many Thai there wear surgical masks.

If you take a cab, agree on a fee before you enter the car and always bring a business card of your hotel. This has its name also in Thai, so you can be sure to be dropped off at the right hotel. A Tuk Tuk ride is adventurous of course, but the drivers are cowboys. Also, with all the traffic noise, it's not really comfortable. Also here: negotiote a price before you board.

Plan your trip to Thailand online

Through online reservation systems like À la Carte Vacations you can book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars and holiday houses. You can build a fly-drive itinerary with maximum flexibility, book a flight plus a hotel hotel for a night or weekend. Without the limitations of package deals from travel organisations and most times for a much better price.